Frequency controlled mechanism



Oct. 11, 1932. w. KGENIG FREQUENCY CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1931 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WERNER KOENIG, F ZUG, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 LANDIS & GYR., A. G., OF ZUG, SWITZERLAND, A CORPORATION OF SWITZERLAND i FREQUENCY CONTROLLED MECHANISM Application filed January 10, 1931, Serial No. 507,912, and in Switzerland January 15, 1930.

The present invention relates to a frequency controlled mechanism and more particularly to a mechanism in which the movement of a member is controlled by the frequency transmitted to the mechanism. I

' Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the

1 same being realized and attained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and

together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with 26 the front plate removed;

Figure 2 is a plan view of this embodiment with certain of the upper parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrative of the preferred tuning of the resonant parts of the so embodiment.

Figure 4 is an end view looking from the left of Figure 1, with certain parts shown in section.-

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel, simple, and efiicient frequency controlled mechanism which can be employed to actuate or control other mechanism such as a registering, recording or switching mechanism. The invention has for a further object the provision of such a mechanism which-is responsive only to an 6X- tremely narrow band of frequencies. Still another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism of the kind referred to in which a plurality of resonant parts are provided, each serving to influence the operation and effect of the others.

In accordance with the present invention, a pair of resonant members are provided, one

se'rving to drive a moving part as the member is vibrated at its resonant frequency, while the other of the members normally serves to prevent the driving except when it is vibrating at its respective frequency.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred and illustrative embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawing, the rotating members comprise a shaft 2 journalled in the side frames 3, and carrying a driving disc 4 and a ratchet wheel 5 so having a plurality of teeth 6. Shaft 2 may be connected with other suitable mechanism (not shown), as for instance, a recording or switching mechanism.

Means are provided for rotating shaft 2, c5 disc 4 and ratchet wheel 5, and for this purpose a resonant reed 7, formed of resilient magnetic material, has one end securely mounted in the end frame 8, while its other end is left free to vibrate under the influence of and between the pole pieces of the driving electromagnet 10.

Other suitable means may beprovided for vibrating the reed, but as embodied, the coil 11 of the electromagnet 10 is supplied with a '1 fluctuating or alternating current, in the usual manner, from the mains 12, the frequency of this current corresponding to the frequency of the generator or other mechanism connected therewith.

Reed 7 is provided with a small tongue 13 which engages the periphery of the disc 4. As reed 7 vibrates, the rapid oscillation of the tongue 13, contacting with the periphery of the disc 4, serves to rotate the disc and shaft 2.

For normally preventing rotation of the disc 4, shaft 2 and ratchet wheel 5, so that rotation thereof will occur only when the reed 7 is vibrating at its predetermined frequency, a second resonant reed 14 is provided and is preferably mounted parallel to the first reed 7, one end being securely held in the frame 8 while the other end is positioned between the pole pieces of the driving as magnet 10 and is vibrated thereby.

Above this second reed 14:, is mounted a relatively long pawl 15, extending substantially parallel to reed 7, and pivotally mounted at one end on the pivot pin 16. At its other end, pawl 15 is provided with a nose 17 which rests by gravity on reed 14. Pawl 15 is provided with a lateral projection 18 for normally engaging the teeth 6 of ratchet 5 and preventing rotation of the shaft 2, but as pawl 15 is raised, the ratchet is released and is free to rotate.

In the operation of the device, when the current supplied to electromagnet 10 has the same frequency as the resonant frequency of the reeds, reed 7 is vibrated and tongue 13 drives disc 4 and shaft 2. Normally, rotation of the shaft would be prevented by pawl 15 and ratchet 5, but resonant vibration of reed 14 bounces pawl 15 upwardly and lifts the projection 18 out of engagement with teeth 6, thereby permitting the disc 4, shaft 2 and ratchet 5 to rotate. This rotation continues I on further vibration of reed 7, with projection 18 riding on the periphery of the ratchet 5, until projection 18 engages the next tooth 6 of ratchet 5, stopping rotation of shaft 2, unless reed 14 is still vibrating. In case the vibration of reed 14 continues the operation will be repeated as outlined above.

In order to reduce the range of frequencies causing a rotation of the shaft and thereby preventing rotation except when the frequency of the current is very close to the pretermined value, reed 7 is preferably tuned to vibrate in resonance at a slightly difierent frequency than the resonant frequency of reed 14. Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates this manner of tuning and in this diagram, frequency is shown as plotted as abcissae with amplitude of vibration of the reeds as ordinates. The vibration of reed 7 is represented by the curve f while that for reed 14 is represented by curve 7 These two curves lie close together overlapping to a slight extent, and the lines 20 and 21 represent the range of frequencies between which the reeds simultanenously will have a sufficient amplitude of vibration to drive disc 4 and release ratchet 5 to permit rotation of the shaft.

As will be obvious, the accuracy of the mechanism can be increased by increasing the number of teeth of ratchet wheel- 5, or by varying the tuning of the reeds to narrow the band of frequencies whichwill simultaneously and sufficiently actuate the two reeds.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms-shown and described but departures may be made there from within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages. 7

WVhat I claim is 1 1. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a rotatable member, resonant means for rotating the member and resonant means for preventing rotation of the member except when the second resonant means is operating at its resonant frequency.

2. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a rotatable member, resonant means for rotating the member, and resonant means, responsive to the same frequency for preventing rotation of the member except when said means are operating at their predetermined frequencies.

3. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a rotatable member,

resonant means for driving the rotatable member, a second resonant means, cooperating stop members associated with said rotatable member and said second resonant means and moved out of stopping relation by vibration of the second resonant means at its resonant frequency.

4. Frequency controlled mechanism including a rotatable member, resonant means for driving the rotatable member, a second resonant means, cooperating stop members associated with the rotatable member and said second resonant means and moved out of stopping relation by vibration of the second resonant means at its resonant frequency, said resonant means being tuned to slightly different frequencies. v

5. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a rotatable member, a pair of resonant reeds, means for vibrating the reeds, means carried by one of said reeds for rotating the member, means carried by the other reed for normally preventing rotation of the member but responsive to a particular frequency to permit rotation of the rotatable member.

6. Frequency. controlled mechanism in cluding in combination a rotatable member, a pair of resonant reeds, means for vibrating the reeds, means carried by one of the reeds for rotating the member as the reed is vibrated, means carried by the other reed for normally preventing rotation of the member except at a predetermined frequency of reed vibration.

7. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a rotatable member, a pair of resonant reeds, means for vibrating the reeds, means carried by one of the reeds for intermittently rotating the member as the reed vibrates, cooperating stopping means carried by the other reed and the rotatable member for normally preventing rotation of the member and releasable only on resonant vibration of the second reed.

8. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a rotatable member, a pair of resonant reeds, means for vibrating the reeds, means carried by one of the reeds for intermittently rotating the member as the reed vibrates, cooperating stopping means carried by the other reed and the rotatable member for normally preventing rotation of the member and releasable only on resonant vibration of the second reed, said reeds being tuned to slightly different frequencies.

9. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a, moving member, a pair of resonant reeds and means for vibrating the reeds, one of said reeds serving to drive the member and the other serving nor mally to prevent driving of the member, whereby the member moves only when the reeds are vibrating in substantial resonance.

10. Frequency controlled mechanism including in combination a moving member, a pair of resonant reeds and means for vibrating the reeds, one of said reeds serving to drive the member and the other serving to prevent rotation of the member When the reed is not vibrated at its resonant frequency, the resonant frequency of the reeds being very slightly different.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WERNER KOENIG. 

